This invention relates generally to sound producing devices. These devices may be in the form of toys, signaling devices, or other products. In one embodiment, which is used for illustrating the invention, the invention is embodied in a xe2x80x9ctalking straw,xe2x80x9d i.e., a drinking straw and a drink cap.
This is an improvement of the talking straw disclosed and claimed in my father""s patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,835, George V. Garabedian. The talking straw disclosed in the aforesaid patent is an elongate thin walled annulus, i.e., a typical drinking straw, with the added feature of a sound track formed longitudinally in one wall of the annulus. In this prior art patent, the straw""s sound track is in the form of lateral ribs pressed into a generally flat portion that constitutes a secant of the otherwise circular annular configuration of the wall of the straw. As such, the sound track is not well exposed. As a result, it is difficult to cause the sound track to contact the aperture of the Lid. This inhibits the reliable production of a clear and audible message.
It is an object of this invention to overcome the aforesaid problem and, in addition, to make the reliable production of higher quality sound easier and more certain.
My invention is a sound producing system, the preferred embodiment of which is a xe2x80x9ctalking strawxe2x80x9d that has a raised ridge linearly along the side of the device. The sound track, in the form of undulations or ridges is embossed on the external surface of the raised ridge. This positions the sound track for being contacted with the aperture in the lid, or other semi-rigid structure that is capable of being vibrated in the audible frequency range. The lid, or other semi-rigid structure that is capable of being vibrated in the audible frequency range, forms an aperture having at least one projection, and preferably a plurality of evenly spaced projections. In one form, the lid, or other semi-rigid structure that is capable of being vibrated in the audible frequency range, defines a twelve-pointed star-shaped aperture with inwardly directed points. The projections may terminate in a point or a radiused projection the outline of which may be described as an arch in which the legs converge to make a point to form an apex or top of the arch These projections, whatever the configuration, are referred to in general as points. The raised ridge and sound track are more easily and more certainly contacted with a point of the aperture and a higher quality sound than that produced by the prior art device is more reliably produced upon relative longitudinal movement of the elongate sound track carrier and the points in the aperture. In the straw and lid, which is the preferred embodiment, the straw and lid are moved relative to each other with the sound track in contact with the point in the aperture in the lid.
The raised ridge and the relationship of the points allow for the device to work well in a wider spectrum of climates and enables the device to produce sound when frozen material is combined with liquids in the container. The invention enables sound production by the invention during the occurrence of expansion and contraction and with the use of a greater range of materials of variable pliability of which the elongate device or aperture forming structure, e.g., the lid, or other semi-rigid structure that is capable of being vibrated in the audio frequency range, may be formed.
Another feature of the invention is the provision of one, and preferably two, guides. A guide is provided on one or both sides of the sound track. The guide is formed as part of the raised ridge and may result from the depression of the center part of the ridge by the embossing of the sound track, the edges of the ridge remaining substantially fully raised. The guide, or guides, engage a point adjacent one or both sides of the point that is contacted with the sound track as the elongate device, i.e., the sound producing point, e.g., talking straw, tends to turn. The tendency to turn, i.e., rotate about the longitudinal axis of the straw, is thus counteracted and the sound track tends to remain in contact with the sound producing point formed in the aperture in the lid.
The aperture is preferably formed in a dimple, i.e., a depression, which, in turn, is formed in the Lid, or other semirigid structure that is capable of being vibrated in the audible range. The dimple in the Lid, or other semi-rigid structure that is capable of being vibrated in the audible frequency range, creates an angle of contact enabling the plurality of resilient points or arches to track the straw more uniformly. The shoulders bordering the sound track perform the function of guiding the sound track on a straight path so that only one of the plurality of resilient points or arches contact the sound track during the relative movement between the sound track of the elongated member and the lid, or other semi-rigid structure that is capable of being vibrated in the audible frequency range, whose aperture exposes formed or precut points.
The invention in a preferred form is a system for the production of sound by the relative movement between an elongated member in contact with a projection in an aperture. The elongated member has a prerecorded sound track in the form of lateral ribs or undulations on the raised external surface ridge. Preferably, the raised ridge also forms a guide ridge on each side of the sound track The raised ridge with the sound track embossed thereon spans at least a portion of the elongate member, and preferably spans the entire length of the elongate member. The aperture is, in a preferred embodiment, formed in a lid for drinks such as are used at fast food stores. The lid has an aperture defining points, the term points including arches, so constructed and configured as to come in contact with the prerecorded sound track when the elongate member is inserted in the aperture and moved longitudinally.
Other features, and advantages of the present invention are stated in or are apparent from the detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention found herein below.